Is It a Crime by Sade Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Depths of Love’s Legalities
Lyrics
This may come as some surprise
But I miss you
I could see through
All of your lies
And still I miss you
He takes her love
But it doesn’t feel like mine
He tastes her kiss
Her kisses are not mine, they’re not mine
He takes, but surely she can’t give what I’m feeling now
She takes, but surely she doesn’t know how
Is it a crime?
Is it a crime
That I still want you
And I want you to want me too?
My love is wider
Wider than Victoria Lake
My love is taller
Taller than the Empire State
It dives and it jumps
And it ripples like the deepest ocean
I can’t give you more than that
Surely you want me back
Is it a crime?
Is it a crime?
I still want you
And I want you to want me too
My love is wider than Victoria Lake
Taller than the Empire State
It dives and it jumps
I can’t give you more than that
Surely you want me back
Is it a crime?
Is it a crime
That I still want you
And I want you to want me too?
It dives and jumps
And it ripples like the
Deepest ocean
I can’t give you more than that
Surely you want it back
Tell me
Is it
A crime
With its sultry rhythm and haunting lyrical poignancy, Sade’s ‘Is It a Crime’ compels listeners into a world where love’s grandeur is both a gift and a painful enigma. The 1985 track, evergreen in its emotional reach, speaks to the deepest levels of human desire and the complexities of longing.
The song, loaded with metaphorical richness, begs a dissection beyond its soft jazz facade. It reveals the turmoil of unrequited love and the aching question of why the heart yearns for what it may never possess—a query that Sade Adu, the band’s lead singer, articulates with every fiber of her being.
The Enthralling Grip of Unrequited Love
‘Is It a Crime’ is a song steeped in the bittersweet tang of unrequited love. Through Adu’s velvety voice, the narrative unfolds—a confession of lingering affection for a lover whose attentions have shifted elsewhere. It is a tale as old as time, wrapped in the modern cloak of Sade’s melodious jazz.
The track doesn’t just lament love lost; it weaves a tale of the intense cling of emotion, refusing to acknowledge a reality where affections are no longer returned. Sade’s plaintive inquiry, ‘Is it a crime?’, is rhetorical and laced with irony, as the true injustice lies in love’s intractable nature.
Metaphors That Paint Passion Beyond Borders
Sade’s use of grand metaphors—comparing her love to ‘Victoria Lake’ and the ‘Empire State’—elevates the intensity of her feelings to almost mythic proportions. The song’s narrator rejects the mundanity of half-hearted affection, instead laying claim to a passion with dimensions so colossal, they dwarf some of the Earth’s wonders.
These comparisons accentuate a love that is immeasurable, fierce, and ever-persistent, even in the face of unreciprocated emotion. It’s a powerful portrayal of an inner world where the heart has no limits and refuses to shrink itself to fit the disappointing container of another’s lesser commitment.
Underlying Plead for Reciprocity and Validation
Beneath the eloquent lyrics lies a vulnerable plea: ‘And I want you to want me too.’ It’s a raw human desire for reciprocation, a craving for acknowledgment from the object of her love that her vast emotions are not only seen but desired. Sade’s voice becomes the vessel for this yearning, soaring and dipping with the soul’s uneven rhythms.
This candid call for emotional justice resonates as the heart of the track. Here, the narrative shifts, suggesting that the real crime would be the beloved’s failure to recognize the depth and sincerity of the affection so freely given.
Piercing Through Love’s Illusions with Blinding Clarity
One of the most arresting elements of ‘Is It a Crime’ is its clarity. Sade’s character is not blinded by love; she sees through ‘all of your lies’ but is also transparent about her steadfast attachment. In this clarity, there’s a facing of self-truths that are as discomforting as they are unavoidable.
The song doesn’t just wallow but rather confronts the listener with the piercing question of culpability in emotions that defy reason. Through this lens, the lyrics serve as a confession of helpless devotion in the face of love’s potentially deceitful nature.
The Echoes of Passion in Memorable Lines
‘It dives and it jumps and it ripples like the deepest ocean.’ These words create a sensory cascade that captures the unpredictable and unfathomable qualities of profound love. As these lyrics reverberate, they foster an intimacy between the listener and the song, embedding its emotional complexity within our own experiences.
These memorable lines resonate long after the song fades, serving as a haunting reminder of love’s intensity. The beauty of Sade’s storytelling is encapsulated in these moments where her lyrics reach out, catch hold of our souls, and remind us that to feel so deeply is both a blessing and a conundrum—a question that, perhaps, has no right answer.
